,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bcjh ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #ab1 #bjba,mr4 ,warnock 7for himself and ,mr4 ,bennet7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,banking1 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 to modify the threshold for small start projects under the fixed guideway capital investment grant program1 to allow certain environmental review expenditures to count for purposes of non-,federal matches1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,fixed guideway capital investment grants ,section #ecji of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#b7 through 7#g7 as paragraphs 7#c7 through 7#h71 respectively2 7,b7 by inserting after paragraph 7#a7 the following3 7#b7 ,commuter or destination-based bus rapid transit project ,the term commuter or destination-based bus rapid transit project means a small start project utilizing buses-- 7,a7 in which the project represents a substantial investment in a defined corridor1 as demonstrated by features that emulate the services provided by commuter rail or other rail fixed guideway public transportation systems1 including-- 7i7 defined stations2 7ii7 traffic signal or access to managed lanes for public transportation vehicles2 7iii7 short headway services for a substantial part of weekdays2 and 7iv7 any other features the ,secretary may determine support a long-term corridor investment2 and 7,b7 in which-- 7i7 the majority of the project does not operate in a separated right-of-way dedicated for public transportation use during peak periods2 and 7ii7 a substantial portion of the project operates in a highway right-of-way4 2 and 7,c7 in paragraph 7#h7 7as so redesignated7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking #ajj1jjj1jjj and inserting #cbj1jjj1jjj2 and 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking #cjj1jjj1jjj and inserting #djj1jjj1jjj2 7#b7 in subsection 7h71 by adding at the end the following3 7#h7 ,commuter or destination-based bus rapid transit project ratings ,in issuing policy guidance under subsection 7g77#e71 the ,secretary may establish alternative evaluation criteria for commuter or destination-based bus rapid transit projects for-- 7,a7 economic development effects associated with those projects2 or 7,b7 policies and land use patterns that support public transportation4 2 7#c7 in subsection 7k77#b71 by striking subparagraphs 7,e7 and 7,f72 7#d7 in subsection 7l71 by adding at the end the following3 7#i7 ,environmental review expenditures ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 with respect to a project that receives a grant under this section1 an expenditure made to comply with the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 before the project enters project development may be considered as an expenditure that helps meet the non-,federal financial commitment required for that project under this section4 2 and 7#e7 in subsection 7o7-- 7,a7 by striking paragraph 7#b72 7,b7 by redesignating paragraph 7#c7 as paragraph 7#b72 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 ,program dashboard 7,a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary shall establish and maintain on a publicly available website a fixed guideway capital investment grant program dashboard4 7,b7 ,requirements ,the dashboard established under subparagraph 7,a7 shall contain-- 7i7 the amount of funding appropriated to the program under this section for each fiscal year for each program component1 including funding for core capacity improvement projects1 small start projects1 and new fixed guideway capital projects1 if specific amounts are appropriated for each program component2 7ii7 the amount of funding allocated from the program under this section for each fiscal year to each program component1 including core capacity improvement projects1 small start projects1 and new fixed guideway capital projects2 and 7iii7 the amount of funding obligated from the program under this section to each program component1 including core capacity improvement projects1 small start projects1 and new fixed guideway capital projects4 7,c7 ,project tracker ,the dashboard established under subparagraph 7,a7 shall1 to the extent practicable1 include a comprehensive tracker of the status of each project for which funding under this section is sought for the duration during which the project participates in the program under this section1 which shall include-- 7i7 the status of the project in the approval process1 including-- 7,i7 the date on which the project entered into each phase of the approval process1 including1 as applicable1 the date on which project development1 engineering1 and construction begins and the date on which a grant agreement is executed2 and 7,,ii7 the status of a request for approval of entry into each phase of the approval process1 including-- 7aa7 whether the ,federal ,transit ,administration1 the ,office of the ,secretary1 the ,office of ,management and ,budget1 or another ,federal agency is reviewing the request for approval2 7bb7 the date on which the project sponsor requested approval for entry into a new phase2 and 7cc7 whether the ,federal ,transit ,administration1 the ,office of the ,secretary1 the ,office of ,management and ,budget1 or any other ,federal agency1 as applicable1 has completed the review of the request for approval2 7ii7 the status of the environmental review process for the project through a link to the relevant information with respect to the project on the ,permitting ,dashboard required under section #dajjc7;b7 of the ,,fast ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcgjm-#b7;b772 7iii7 the status of each project for which an early systems work agreement is requested1 including-- 7,i7 whether the ,federal ,transit ,administration1 the ,office of the ,secretary1 or the ,office of ,management and ,budget is reviewing the request for the early systems work agreement2 7,,ii7 the status of the review under that office2 and 7,,iii7 the date on which-- 7aa7 the request was received2 7bb7 the request was approved or denied2 and 7cc7 if the request was approved1 the early systems work agreement was issued2 7iv7 based on information from the project sponsor1 the locally proposed financial plan for the project1 which shall include the estimated breakdown of-- 7,i7 ,federal funds anticipated from sources other than the funding provided under this section2 and 7,,ii7 ,state and local funds2 and 7v7 based on information provided by the project sponsor1 the status of the project sponsor in securing the required non-,federal cost share4 4